Fireplace damper construction



ATTORNEY Filed Sept. 16, 1939 H. A. BENJAMIN FIREPLACE DAMPER CONSTRUCTION March 10, 1942.

Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIREPLACE DAMPER CONSTRUCTION Henry A. Benjamin, Oakland, Calif.

Application September 16, 1939, Serial No. 295,294

` claims. `(o1. 12e- 288) p The following invention relates to damper constructions for fireplaces and is concerned more particularly with a provision of an improved, simplified and. efficient form of damper.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an inproved damper means of a simple and inexpensive construction which can be easily installed and which provides a simple means for adjusting the damper from one position to another and for maintaining `the'damper in a selected adjusted position.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from `the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional View through a fireplace having a damper` means constructed in accordance `with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken in planes indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken in a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. l and 2 a fireplace of conventional construction is shown, including side walls I0, rear wall II, and front wall I2 supported by a lintel I3 in the form of an angle.

In accordance with my invention the damper construction engages the lintel and is supported by and built into the side walls of the fireplace opening. The damper frame includes a crosspiece or body I S having a down-turned front end I'I with fingers I8 to engage the upper fiange of the lintel I3. The body IS is connected by suitable bolts to spaced similar side brackets I9 having bottom fianges or feet 20 which are built into the brick of the fireplace with the inner faces of the brackets I9 lying in the respective planes of the side walls I0 of the fireplace opening. The forward edges of the brackets I9 engage the ends of the upstanding fiange of lintel I3, so that the lintel and the damper frame construction form continuous walls of the fireplace throat. Front wall I2 is built over thebody I6 to a plane adjacent the rearward edge of the body to form the flue opening.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2 the rearward edge of body I6 is provided with a seat 2l to receive the upper edge of damper 22, which also closely engages the rearward edge of the end brackets I9 when the damper is in closed position. The damper 22 is provided along itslower edge with an enlarged portion 23 and each end of the portion 23 receives an outwardly extending rod 24 (Figs. 2 and 3) which extends through apertured ear 25 of the adjacent bracket I9 with washers 26 at either side of the ear 25. Thus damper 22 is mounted for pivotal movement from closed position to a selected open position as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

To maintain resiliently the adjusted position of the damper, the projecting portion of each rod 24 is surrounded by a compressionspring 21 which seats against the adjacent washer 25 and against a pin-supported washer 28 adjacent the end of rod 2li.` Because of the pressure of the spring 2I at each end of the damper, it is resiliently held in any selected adjusted position to which it may be moved by adjusting means about to be described.

To provide for adjustment of the damper 22 (Fig. l) it is pivotally connected near its central portionto link 3l, having a pivotalconnection 32 with the short upper end of an adjusting lever 33 which is pivoted at 34 on V-shaped bracket 36 Amounted on damper body I 6. The lever 33 can be adjusted between its full line and its dot` ted line positions as shown to open the damper to any desired extent. The end of adjusting lever 33 may be apertured to receive a poker or other suitable operating means.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a damper construction of a very simple and sturdy design, which can be produced economically and readily installed with a minimum amount of labor. Also a simple adjusting means is provided for maintaining the damper in any adjusted position thereof.

I claim:

. 1. In a damper construction for fireplaces, a`

transversely extending framework adapted for close `fitting engagement with the lintel of the fireplace and the side and end walls thereof, said framework including wall means having an upright portion for interlocking engagement with said lintel and an inclined portion extending rearwardly from said upright portion; said framework also including horizontally disposed fianges to be built into the walls of the fireplace in substantial horizontal alignment with the hor-` izontal fiange of the lintel, a damper pivotally mounted 0n said framework for closing a rearward opening in said framework, and means for adjusting said damper to and from open and closed positions; said adjusting means including a V-shaped bracket having one leg secured to said upright wall portion and another leg secured to said enclosed wall portion, an adjusting lever pivotally mounted in said bracket, and a link pivoted to said lever and to said damper.

2. In a damper construction for fireplaces, a

transversely extending framework adapted for close fitting engagement with the lintel of the fireplace and the side and end walls thereof, said framework including wall means having an upright portion for interlocking engagement with said lintel and an inclined portion extending rearwardly from said upright portion; said framework also including horizontally disposed flanges to be built into the walls of the fireplace in substantial horizontal alignment with the horizontal iiange of the lintel, a damper pivotally mounted on said framework for closing a rearward opening in said framework, means for adjusting said damper to and from open and closed positions; said adjusting means including a V-shaped bracket `having one yleg secured to said upright wall portion and another leg secured to said inclined wall portion, an adjusting lever pivotally mounted in said bracket, and a link pivoted to said lever and to said damper; and means yieldably holding the damper in any selected adjusted position thereof.

3. In a damper construction for fireplaces, a transversely extending framework adapted for vclose itting engagement with the lintel of the fireplace and the side and end walls thereof, said framework including means having interlocking engagementI with said lintel and horizontally dis- Y posed flanges to be built into the walls of the retially parallel to the upper wall of said framework in all operating positions thereof.

4. In a damper construction for fireplaces, a transversely extending framework for mounting on the walls of the fireplace, said framework having a rearward opening, a damper pivotally mounted on said framework for closing said rear- Ward opening, and means for adjusting said damper to and from open and closed positions; said adjusting means including a bracket mounted on said framework, an adjusting lever pivotally mounted in said bracket with its pivotal connection in the upper region of the framework, said lever having a short arm disposedy above said pivotal connection and a long arm disposed therebeneath, and a link pivoted to said lever and to said damper, said link being disposed substantially parallel to the upper wall of said/framework in all operating positions thereof.

5. In a damper construction for fireplaces, a transversely extending framework for mounting on the walls of the replace, said framework having a rearward opening, a damper Divotally mounted on said framework for closing said rearward opening, and meansI for adjusting said damper to and from open and closed positions; said adjusting means including a` bracket mounted on said framework, an adjusting lever pivotally mounted in said bracket with its pivotal connection in the upper region of the framework, said lever having a short arm disposed above said pivotal connection and a long arm disposed therebeneath, a link pivoted to said lever and to said damper, said link being disposed substantially parallel to the upper wall of said framework in all operating positions thereof, and spring means exerting pressure on the pivotal mounting of said damper to maintain the damper in a selected adjusted position.

HENRY A. BENJAMIN. 

